Oscar: Part One (Oscar and the Necromancer)
by TheLarsonist
Summary: This is the story of Oscar, a story based on a D&D campaign from a few years back. After the only people he could call family were killed by a brutal necromancer, Oscar seeks revenge. This is only the beginning of a campaign that spanned nearly two years.
1. Chapter 1

Oscar Wymar wasn't human. That was a known fact. Just what exactly Oscar was truly wasn't known. Nothing like him was ever found in the realm. Oscar wasn't born like most of the people in his home village were, at least not that anyone simply appeared one day. He stood on two legs, walked like a human, and he spoke the common tongue, but his body was covered in hair, face and all. His whiskers and short nose gave him an appearance similar to that of a cat. His hands and feet were clawed, and his eyes were a piercing green.

When he first appeared in the tiny village of Arrow's Peak, named for its distinct triangular shape, Oscar was nothing more than a baby. He was found inside the house of Marcus Wymar, the leader of the faction of mercenaries that sometimes took work in the nearby city of Shingen. Marcus took it upon himself to raise the child as a son, though he had not the knowledge nor the means to raise a child. Oscar took his name and grew up among warriors, training alongside fighters and assassins. The faction took him in as family as he learned their arts and ways. By the time Oscar reached adulthood, he was an able warrior, rivaled in skill only by Marcus himself.

Arrow's Peak was a small village, mostly consisting of tiny wooden buildings. A solitary well marked the village's center. It was surrounded by green, grassy land. A simple dirt road passing through the village was the only real street, there were no brick or paved roads. The town, if it could even be called that, looked rather dull from the outside.

Oscar had been preparing for a voyage with Marcus that morning with a few other men. They were to travel to a village named Pine Grove. Arrow's Peak had made a treaty with Pine Grove, stating that each month, a patrol would come to Arrow's Peak with food and supplies in return for protection. The mercenary faction stationed five to six soldiers in Pine Grove to assist in protecting them. Normally, the shipments would arrive at the start of each month. Occasionally, a shipment may be a few days early or late. Marcus had organized a party to travel to Pine Grove because they had not yet received their shipment nor any word at all that month, and the month's end was quickly approaching.

On this particular day, Arrow's Peak was much brighter and louder than usual. This was due in part to nearly the entirety of the village being covered in flames. Buildings were burning, people were running through the street, screams sounded from all around. There was something else too, running through the blaze, chasing the residents of the village and catching some of them. They had gray skin, wiry hair, gaunt features, with bones clearly visible through the skin. Many of them looked partially decomposed. Shrieked, filling the air with their blood-curdling noise. These things were people too, or at least it seemed that they used to be. They weren't living now, not in the normal sense of the word. They ran through the flames, some even catching fire, without so much as a wince or a moment of hesitation, they felt no pain, they felt no remorse. The faction members were doing the best that they could to defend the town, but it was no use. The creatures were ferocious. They sprinted on all fours, leaping and clawing at anything or anyone they could find. What remained of the faction gathered together in the center of the village, buildings completely ablaze around them. Oscar was with them. Marcus and three others were the only ones left. They stood back-to-back in a circle with weapons drawn. The creatures ran towards them, with ferocity in their glowing eyes. They leaped and fell, slashed by sword and axe. A seemingly endless wave advanced, bodies falling on top of one another around the circle of warriors. Oscar slashed and hacked at them, killing creature after creature. They continued, until one of the mercenaries could no longer fight them off and was overrun. No time was left to mourn before more of the things appeared. Oscar's strength was beginning to fail him, the endless waves were tiring him quickly, each slash was slower than the last, each carrying less force. The creatures' speed and strength never faltered, each one running and attacking and dying as more climbed over its body. Another warrior fell. Oscar, Marcus, and a man Oscar new as Rigel stood in a tight circle, watching as the village burned around them, slashing over and over. Suddenly, they stopped, The creatures stopped attacking. They simply stood and watched, they stared as the three warriors breathed heavily and clutched their weapons close to them.

A cloaked figure was standing at the edge of the dying flames, on the dirt road that passed through the smoking village. Oscar's fur began to stand on end. This figure made him feel very uneasy. It stood with its face covered by a hood, holding its hand outward. A purple glow was emanating from it, the same glow that was seen in the eyes of the creatures that had attacked their village. The hooded being was dressed in black, its robe covered in symbols that Oscar didn't recognize. There was glowing disk of what appeared to be hardened clay upon his chest, displaying a semi-circle with two stars. It was the symbol of Lum, the champion of the moon. It lowered its hand and the purple glow faded away. The eyes of the creatures faded as well, as they collapsed to the ground in heaps.

"This doesn't look good," Marcus said. He sheathed his sword and pulled the longbow from his back, notching an arrow onto the string. The figure began to move toward them, seeming to almost glide across the ground. Marcus pulled the arrow back, aimed the bow, and released. The arrow sailed true, flying toward the hooded figure at lightning speed, but stopped before it reached them. The cloaked figure had raised its hand up, and the arrow stopped inches from its face. The arrow, now shrouded in a deep purple mist, turned in the air to face Oscar and his companions. The sorcerer closed his fist and the arrow came sailing back, lodging itself into the throat of Rigel. He fell to the ground, grasping at the arrow shaft and making a terrible choking sound.

"Oscar, run," said Marcus.

"I'm not going to leave you here," Oscar responded.

"Oscar, he's too powerful. You cannot defeat him. I cannot defeat him."

The figure grew ever nearer, still gliding across the ground.

"Then come with me. Why can't you run too?"

"If we run, we die. I may be able to delay him and give you time to escape."

Oscar was bewildered by the thought. "I'm not just going to leave you to die."

"You must, Oscar, it is the only way that you can live. Go!"

"No."

"Oscar, this is my final gift to you. I'm giving you a chance to get away. There's no way for me to make it out of here. Now go, my son."

Oscar was hit with the realization that Marcus was right. The figure was close now, and Marcus pulled back another arrow on his bow.

Oscar turned his back and began to run. He didn't want to look, too afraid of what he might see. He heard the bow fire again, and again he knew the arrow failed to hit its target. He heard a _clank_ as the arrow broke through Marcus' mail shirt. He heard a sword being drawn. He kept running. Oscar turned his head, just for a moment. There in the ashes of the smoldering village, he saw Marcus being held aloft by the deep purple mist. Marcus' sword lay on the ground, an arrow buried into his chest. The sorcerer held its right hand off to the side as a curved blade materialized out of the air. The figure took hold of it and raised it, preparing to swing at Marcus. Oscar turned back. He sprinted off toward Shingen. He didn't look back again. He couldn't look back again, but he didn't need to. He already knew what he would see.


	2. Chapter 2

Shingen was a shining port city. It was constructed as tribute to Solace, the incarnation of the sun. In the daylight, the city shined a brilliant gold, and in the night, lanterns lined the streets, illuminating the city and creating an aura of light around it. The city was a haven for any that came seeking shelter or safety. The brilliant, tall, stone buildings reached high above any that Oscar had seen in his home village. On a hill near the center of the city stood a magnificent castle. The castle's spires towered over the city itself, and the castle walls were encrusted with golden figures in a variety of scenes, telling the city's history.

In truth, Oscar disliked Shingen. He was raised in a simple place and developed simple tastes. He felt that the whole city was just too extravagant. If Oscar ever needed to spend multiple days in the city, he would almost always chose to sleep in a small camp outside the city in the adjacent wooded area.

Oscar thought back to that morning. In the stables just outside of town, Oscar had packed a few basic supplies and rations into the saddlebags of his donkey, Petunia. Petunia was as stubborn as could be, named for the fact that he would often eat the petunias growing in Marcus' garden. Petunia had been giving him particular trouble that day, moving around and refusing to cooperate when Oscar attempted to place his saddle on. Petunia seemed uneasy. He knew before any of them. The attack had happened so suddenly, those creatures bursting through windows and tearing down doors. The fire seemed to come from nowhere and quickly grew to everywhere. The events raced through Oscar's head as he ran toward the city.

By the time that Oscar had reached Shingen, the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the horizon, and people were beginning to light lanterns in the street. Oscar had been running for several hours and was extremely worn out. He entered the city, choosing a nearby tavern to stop, rest, and go back over the events of the day in his mind.

Before he entered, he heard something behind him. The sound of horseshoes on stone accompanied by a low _pbbbt_. Oscar turned around to discover the source.

"Petunia?" Oscar was bewildered. The donkey walked toward him. Oscar had thought for sure that Petunia had either been lost or killed. Oscar embraced the donkey. He saw that most of the saddlebags had been lost, but also saw that a bedroll was still tied to the saddle, as well as a coiled rope and a small bag of feed.

"Better than nothing, I suppose," Oscar said. He tied Petunia to a post with another horse just outside the bar and told him that he'd return before the night was through.

The Rusty Flagon was a loud, crowded place. Oscar knew it well. The smell of ale and desperation filled the air as Oscar walked in. He took a seat at the bar. The man working it on this night was named Braun. The name was accurate to say the least, the man was a giant beast made of pure muscle. There were hardly any disputes in the tavern on nights when Braun was working, he had a way of resolving them that not many people enjoyed.

"Can I get you something?" Braun asked.

"Not right now. I just need to think." Oscar replied. He didn't have the coin to purchase a drink anyway.

"Have it your own way," said Braun.

Oscar ran back over the events that had occurred. Thought about the sorcerer, the necromancer that had attacked his village. He thought about the symbols. The only one he really knew was Lum's. There had always been a feud between followers of Lum and those of Solace, but in this time, such things were unheard of. Wars had been fought in the past between followers of the Warriors of the sun and moon. There had been fights and even killings in the name of each group's respective deity, but never had Oscar heard of an entire settlement being destroyed without provocation. Oscar needed a plan. He needed to defeat the necromancer that had destroyed his village, the one that had killed Marcus. He needed to do it quickly too. The necromancer had destroyed Arrow's Peak in minutes, who knew how much more damage he could do? The main problem that Oscar faced was that the being had magic and could wield it skillfully; Oscar's blades were useless to that in a fair fight. He'd studied magic himself but had never been able to master more than a few simple tricks. He would need to use stealth to sneak up on the necromancer unaware. Perhaps he could receive help from inside the city. He may be able to ask king Fernando for help. The king lived in Shingen, but Oscar had no idea how to reach him.

Oscar noticed a figure in the corner. It appeared to be watching him. Its face was made nigh invisible due to poor lighting. Oscar noted that the figure did not appear to be human. It was large and disfigured. Another human sat alongside the figure, getting a little too into a drinking song and downing what had to have been at least his fifth pint of ale. The figure gave Oscar a sort of chill, but not in the same way that the necromancer had. He didn't want to confront him after the events of the day.

It was getting late, and Oscar had had a very long, very tiring day. He decided to take Petunia and set up a camp in the woods. Oscar left the tavern and the unsettling figure behind him, untying petunia and leading him about a half-mile outside of the city. He built a small fire and set up his bedroll in a nearby tree, suspending it from the branches with a series of elaborate knots. Oscar fed Petunia and he settled himself by the tree. Oscar had not had any rations with him when he left Arrow's Peak, and lacked the coin to purchase any in town. His stomach grumbled but he tried to ignore it. Oscar smothered the fire, then climbed into his makeshift hammock. He laid awake for several hours, haunted by visions of the day's events. The necromancer, those creatures, the flames. He thought of his friends, his neighbors, his family, all dead. The figure in the tavern. Who was it? What did they want? Perhaps they weren't staring at all, but rather just a sleeping customer. No. Oscar felt the eyes staring at him, into him, reading his every move. Oscar tossed and turned, rustling the branches of the tree. It seemed like an endless night. Oscar wasn't sure when he fell asleep, but it was far from a peaceful night for the young warrior.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Oscar awoke with a start, light shining through the leaves and branches of the tree. There was someone in his camp. He'd let down his guard for too long, slept too heavily. Now there was someone in his camp and he was vulnerable. He could hear them, sense them moving around below him. The bed he'd crafted for himself was not easy to get out of silently, he would have to be ready for a fight. His sword was at the base of the tree with his satchel. all he had were his katars, blades that wrapped around his fingers and extended from his knuckles. He silently readied them, moving as little as possible so as not to rustle the branches on the tree. He took a deep breath, then rapidly leaped from his bed and landing on the ground below. He spotted the invader immediately, standing by the trunk of the tree. It wasn't the necromancer. It was a man, just over six and a half feet tall. He was lightly armored, wearing a leather tunic and trousers. He had weapons too, a longbow strung across his back, and two scimitars, long curved blades, resting at his sides. The man heard Oscar's feet hit the ground and turned toward him. Oscar looked at the man's face. He seemed human, but only partially; he appeared to be half orc. He had light gray skin, and his face had very strong features, with a set of tusk-like teeth showing just over his upper lip. This was the figure from the tavern. It had to be. He was the right size, the deformities seemed to match what Oscar thought he'd seen in the dark. Oscar raised his daggers to attack. The man saw this, seemed startled by it, but unsheathed one of his scimitars in response. He tried to say something but was interrupted by Oscar lunging at him, daggers swinging and cutting through the air. The half-orc raised his sword in response, blocking the blows. He unsheathed his other sword and prepared to deflect another flurry.

Petunia backed away, calling out a noise of distress after watching his master battle this intruder.

"Wait," the half-orc exclaimed as Oscar pushed forward again, blades arcing around, hurtling towards him. He once again expertly intersected the daggers' flight paths with his own blades. The clang of steel against steel rang out in the open woods as the blades slid along one another.

"Stop, I just came to talk!" The half-orc said. Oscar heard the man, but disregarded his words. He was angry. He was angry at himself for letting down his guard, he was angry at the necromancer for killing his father and all those close to him, he was angry at this half-orc for invading his camp. He wasn't going to stop until he had calmed himself.

Oscar let out a yell and swung over and over again, advancing with every blow, but no swing could hit its mark. The half-orc sidestepped and dodged and deflected, making Oscar's rage induced assault entirely worthless. The invader never attacked Oscar, simply letting his blows be diverted harmlessly away.

"Listen to me!" he called out. Oscar still did not respond, and the half-orc waited for an opening, deflected a swing that sent Oscar stumbling slightly, then connected his fist to Oscar's face. Hard.

Oscar went sailing backward, landing on his back while his daggers clattered to the ground beside him. Petunia had made her way to the edge of the clearing, braying loudly in distress.

The half-orc sheathed his weapons and kicked Oscar's daggers away from him. Oscar lay on the ground, disoriented from the punch. "Why are you here?" he finally asked.

"My name is Gell," he began.

"That isn't what I asked," said Oscar, rubbing his forehead.

"I tracked you this morning. I saw you come into the tavern last night, you came in looking like you'd seen a spirit, you were shaking, panting. You sat at the bar for nearly an hour without ordering a thing, then left. You walked into the woods and slept in a tree. That doesn't add up to normal behavior. Something is wrong, I'm just trying to figure out what. Maybe I can help." The Half-Orc's voice was calm and cool.

"You can't. There's nothing you can do for me right now. It's something I need to do myself. I don't need your help," Oscar replied. He knew that having the skill of a warrior such as this one would help immensely in his fight, but he was too stubborn. He'd made up his mind to do this alone.

"Fair enough. I will respect your wishes. Don't worry, I wasn't going through your things, I was only waiting for you to wake up. Perhaps I'll see you in the future."

"I doubt it. Just leave me alone and stay out of my way. I'd prefer it if you left now, Gell," Oscar said with hostility. He began to pick himself up from the ground.

Gell nodded, backing away from Oscar's camp and silently turning around, then walking back toward the city. Oscar tried to clear his head. He felt badly for treating the half-orc with such disrespect and hostility when he had been shown none. It was too late to fix things now. Oscar was feeling too many emotions, being forced to deal with too much in the last day. Oscar took down his bedroll and packed his things, readying himself for travel.

Petunia returned to the base of the tree to rest. Braying softly. Oscar began to load her back up.

Oscar took a final look at his camp, making sure that he hadn't forgotten anything, then turned his back on it and walked on toward the city.


	4. Chapter 4

Oscar was very hungry, having not eaten the night before. Upon arriving in the city around midday, he found that the city square, Shingen's primary center of commerce, was filled with several dozen angry people. Apparently they were all yelling over one another over whether or not another tavern was truly necessary for the city, as Shingen had already had four, and there was an ever increasing number of crimes every month that were traced back to the abuse of alcohol. Many people saw no harm in the addition of a fifth tavern to the city, but there were a select few that were strongly against it.

Oscar decided to use this commotion to his advantage. He worked his way into the bustling crowd, stealthily reaching his fur-covered hand into the pockets of unsuspecting and disgruntled individuals, taking their coin purses. He knew that Marcus would frown upon him for this behavior, but in a way, Oscar saw this as a way of helping Marcus. In order to avenge Marcus, Oscar needed to be alive. This was the only way that he could see to do so.

Oscar was about to reach his hand into the pocket of his final victim, when suddenly he felt a tight grip around his wrist. The person he'd tried to pickpocket had caught him in the act. This man was massive. Oscar recognized him as the one known here in the city as The Human Hill. Aptly named for his enormous size and threatening stature, the man-beast would easily tower over Braun. The man had been the source for many troubles in the city. The giant sausages that he called fingers were wrapped tightly around Oscar's thin wrist. The Hill looked down at Oscar, grabbed him by his neck, hoisted him into the air, and tossed him like a small stone across the paved street. Oscar landed and rolled, stumbling and falling over himself. He'd become careless, he'd tried to take too much. All he had really needed was money to buy himself food. The Human Hill waked away from the crowd, making his way toward Oscar, who attempted to pick himself off of the ground quickly. The Human Hill reached him rapidly, pushing his way through the crowd and picking Oscar up again and thrashing his body around like a ragdoll and smashing him against a nearby wall. Oscar was being flung around as if he weighed nothing. Oscar was tossed to the ground again. He unsheathed his sword, disoriented and in pain, and prepared to fight this muscular beast of a man. The Human Hill swatted his blade aside with ease. Seeing no other option, Oscar turned to flee. He leapt high into the air, his agile legs landing atop a lamppost. The Hill was tall enough to reach Oscar and he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay up there safely for very long. Oscar looked out for another point that he could jump to, finding almost nothing among the crowd.

Oscar saw that the Hill was upon him and took a leap away and toward the citizens. He landed atop the head of one of the protesters, much to the man's surprise, and quickly jumped to the head of another, running on top of the crowd and toward the opposite end of the crowded street, leaving The Human Hill behind him. Oscar left a trail of commotion, as most people did not leave their homes expecting a large, fur-covered man to use their heads as stepping stones. Oscar leapt down to the street, turning around to discover that The Hill had managed to keep up with him, only a few feet behind. The man was incredibly quick for someone his size.

His sword was far out of reach now. Oscar attempted to throw a punch at the monstrous man, but his fist was caught by an enormous hand, crushing his fingers. Oscar cried out in pain. The Human Hill reached for Oscar again when suddenly a small stone flew through the air on a direct collision course with The Human Hill's head. The moment the stone made contact, it exploded and a deafening _BOOM_ accompanied by a bright flash of light filled the city square. Oscar's ears rang so loudly he could hardly hear a thing around him. His eyesight returned after a few moments. Everyone in the square had stopped their bickering and turned to look at them. The Human Hill was standing there, but seemed unresponsive. His eyes rolled slowly into the back of his head as he began to fall backwards off of his feet. He hit the ground on his back, causing vibrations as well as several cracks in the street. He lay still, neither breathing nor moving at all. Oscar looked into the direction where the stone came from. He spotted Gell, the half-orc from the forest, walking toward him. He had another person with him, a human dressed in simple robes, carrying a sword across his back. This was the one that had been sitting with him in the tavern.

Oscar's ears still rang from the stone, but he could hear Gell say to him, "You sure you don't need help?"

Oscar wasn't sure what he should say, but he started by saying, "Thank you. You really saved my skin there. What was that thing?"

"A thunderstone," Gell said, showing Oscar another small stone with a lightning bolt carved onto one side. "Upon impact, thunderstones create a loud, explosive sound and a brilliant light, disorienting enemies. In some cases, they can be lethal."

"I think this may have been one of those times," the human next to Gell said.

"Who's this?" asked Oscar.

"This is a friend. I left him behind this morning to sleep, he had a night of heavy drinking and I figured that that may be the best for him. His name is Seph," Gell explained, "You know, I never did catch yours."

"I didn't give it. My name is… Oscar," he said reluctantly. He'd considered using an alias or fake name, but decided against it. He wasn't sure about these people, but after thinking it over, Oscar decided it would be a good idea to invest in any possible ally he could get.

"Pleasure," mumbled Seph, followed closely by a loud burp. He still sounded drunk.

"The pleasure is all mine," Oscar responded, shaking his sticky hand.

"You seem to be in a much better mood than this morning. You're a very pleasant person when you aren't leaping from a tree and trying to kill me," Gell said.

"I apologize for that. I've been going through a lot lately. It was a long day yesterday."

The crowd that had gathered in the city square was only about half of its original size. After witnessing the killing, many people had fled. The rest stayed out of morbid curiosity, wondering what would happen to the sorry lot that had gotten themselves mixed up in all of this. Oscar pushed through the crowd to retrieve his sword from the ground. He turned back to face Gell and Seph. Sephardi was on the ground over The Human Hill, rummaging through his pockets.

"What are you doing?" Oscar asked.

"Looking for stuff," Seph said, pulling a few coins and a sizeable jewel from the pockets

of The Hill.

A fanfare was heard in the distance, and the sound of horseshoe on stone signaled the approach of the king's guard. Seph stood, stashing the coins in his pocket and the jewel down his trousers. They drew nearer, and more of the crowd scattered. Less than a dozen individuals stayed behind to watch what would happen. The king's guard entered the city square, three men in mail suits with the crest of Solace across a tunic on their chests. The men carried flags with the same blazing sun imprinted upon them. The also carried hand crossbows and rapiers at their sides. The men approached Oscar, Gell, and Seph.

"You, half-orc," the man in front called, pointing to Gell. "Are you the one that threw the thunderstone?"

"I am," Gell said.

"Only in order to save me," Oscar said. He wasn't sure why he'd said it, maybe he just felt bad for his behavior that morning. "I was the one fighting him."

"Then the both of you can come with us. King Fernando would like a word," The man said. He wore a shining helmet, and his horse was covered in an armor that was encrusted with gold. Oscar knew him to be the captain of the guard, Jaeger. Jaeger's word was law in Shingen, and Oscar knew better than to try to defy him.

Perhaps this wasn't all bad. This had granted Oscar an opportunity to gain an audience with the king. Granted, he would most likely be addressing the king as a prisoner, but he would be addressing the king no less. Oscar and Gell presented their wrists to Jaeger, and the two other guards placed shackles on them and confiscated their weapons.

"Hey, I'm with him," Seph slurred drunkenly.

"Seph, you imbecile," Gell said, rubbing his forehead with his shackled hands.

Seph presented his hands and another pair of shackles were placed on his wrists as the sword was taken from his back. Seph smiled at Gell, who simply sighed.

Jaeger attached a chain to each of their shackles, trailing it behind his horse. "Keep up," he said. He let out a "hyah!" as he got his horse trotting. Oscar, Gell, and Seph trailed behind his horse, dragged along by the chain. Other guards were trotting along on either side of them. Petunia had been found and taken by the guards as well, being led to a set of stables near the castle.

"Why did you say that, Seph?" Gell asked.

"I thought he was going to split us up," Seph responded, still slurring his words.

"You could have been fine, you didn't even do anything, they didn't even know that we were affiliated with one another."

"What?" Seph asked. He seemed entirely lost.

"You didn't have to say anything, you committed no crime," Gell explained.

"Ah, really?" Seph said.

"Quiet down back there," Jaeger said without looking back.

They were approaching the steps to the castle. They saw the golden statue of Solace that stood at the base of the hill, at the beginning of the steps. A brilliant golden knight, kneeling and staring skyward, clutching the hilt of a sword that was buried halfway into the ground.

High on the hill, Oscar could see it in the distance. They began climbing the stone stairs, led by Jaeger on his horse, making their way toward the palace at the top.

At the top of the steps, Oscar, Gell, and Seph saw the massive castle doors. They were made of ancient, cracked, dark wood, reinforced and studded with heavy iron. The castle itself was made of stone with gold trimming that was beginning to fade in some places. Spires climbed into the sky, topped with waving flags that featured a golden sun on a crimson field.

The enormous doors opened, creaking with every inch that they swung. More guards had been standing by the doors, just outside, wielding halberds. Jaeger and his men climbed off of their horses, and the men that stood by the doors walked over and took hold of the reigns, leading them around to what could be assumed were stables.

Jaeger, still holding the chain, led Oscar, Seph, and Gell into the castle. The inside was every bit as ornate as one might assume a castle would be, suits of armor, paintings, tapestries, and woven rugs adorned the halls. He led them through and closer to the king's stopped and turned around, signalling for his men to stop walking as well. He reached into a pouch on his side and pulled out a set of keys, going to each of them and unlocking their shackles.

"King Fernando will not speak to you unless you are unbound. It is a sign of respect," Jaeger explained. He finished unchaining them, then led them into Fernando's chamber. He opened the door, allowing them to enter first, then followed shortly afterward.

The throne room was enormous, with high, vaulted ceilings, lavish paintings, statues, and furniture, and a large stained glass mural behind Fernando's throne, depicting Solace in his golden armor. Fernando sat in his throne, a large chair encrusted with jewels and trimmed with gold. The seat appeared to be a deep crimson velvet.

Fernando himself was quite a sight, with his golden mail and chestplate. His crown was the purest color of gold that Oscar had ever seen. He held a scepter that appeared to be encrusted with jewels as well. King Fernando spoke, saying, "Leave us, Jaeger. I would prefer to speak with these men alone."

Jaeger seemed hesitant for a moment, but quickly nodded his head, saying, "Yes, my king," then backing out of the room, closing the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Fernando directed his attention to the trio that stood before him. They kneeled, bowing their heads. Almost immediately, Seph began to break down, falling to his knees and sobbing.

"I don't want to go to prison, I'm too innocent, I don't even belong here! I didn't do it, I swear, it was all these two!" He exclaimed.

King Fernando began, "Pull yourself together, this isn't what it seems like. Cliff Erikson. Known to most people in this city as 'The Human Hill'. That man has been causing this city grief for many years. He has killed, robbed, and disturbed the peace too many times to keep track. My personal guard has been unable to detain him under any situation. Now suddenly you three arrive, and within a single day, you've removed the most dangerous criminal in the city from the streets. I apologize for having you brought here in chains. The reason I have called you here to meet you is to thank you for doing this city such a service. As king, I am not able to condone the murder of a citizen, much less praise it publically, therefore, I was forced to make it appear as though you were being arrested. Tonight we shall feast, and you shall stay the night in the castle, in the unused barracks in the West wing. If you have any requests, by all means, simply ask. I, and this city is indebted to you."

Oscar couldn't believe his stroke of sheer dumb luck. He was completely bewildered.

"Thank you very much, your majesty," Gell said to him.

Oscar and Seph followed suit, Seph wiping the tears from his eyes and still trying to hold it together from the breakdown he'd experienced earlier.

Fernando continued, exalting them for their great deed to the city. When he was done, he dismissed them, and Oscar asked if there might be a time when he could bring up a matter of great importance concerning the villages near Shingen. Oscar was granted another audience with him alone that afternoon.

Oscar anxiously waited for the designated time of his meeting with King Fernando. Once the eternity had passed, he was finally able to speak to the king. He was brought back into the throne room, alone this time. He addressed Fernando with a bow, thanking him for giving him the opportunity.

"What troubles you, my friend?" Fernando asked him.

Oscar detailed the events of the previous day. He told Fernando about the necromancer, and how it had burned Arrow's Peak to the ground. Oscar told him that as far as he knew, he was the only survivor. Oscar said that he was worried about other villages nearby, and told Fernando that the necromancer bore the mark of Lum. Until that point, Fernando had seemed invested in the story, but the word Lum struck a chord with him. He reacted immediately.

"I see," he said, "This is not good. We have been receiving reports of villages being attacked by creatures that appeared to be undead, and some even claimed to see a figure that appeared to be controlling them. These were usually stories of faraway outposts, but they've been growing closer and closer in recent days, though never anything so close as Arrow's Peak. I am deeply sorry to hear this news. This is an act of war against the followers of Solace. This menace must be disposed of. We have heard whisperings of a camp, northwest of the city, where a group of Lum's followers is said to be staying. There, you may find your necromancer. It is several days away from here, and we have no confirmed evidence. You have seen what it can do first hand, and you survived. I'd like you to go on an expedition there. If you find him, and you defeat him, you can come back expecting a heavy bounty. Do you accept?"

"I do," said Oscar.

"This being is a threat to our way of life. He must be exterminated. Gather a party, I shall supply you with mounts for your journey. You shall leave tomorrow morning."

"Yes, your majesty," Oscar said.

"I would like for you to take along my daughter, Scarlet to witness the expedition. She will not be a burden, she is as skilled a warrior as any you might meet. She shall be prepared to leave tomorrow morning. Gather your men and have them meet with us on the palace steps at dawn. Do not forget the banquet is to be held tonight."

"I shall not. I will be prepared before dawn tomorrow."

Their meeting ended, and Oscar bowed once again before the mighty king. On his way out of the throne room, Oscar had the feeling of being watched. He felt a stare burning into his back. Oscar turned around and looked down the hallway, seeing a tapestry move slightly, as if a person had moved by it quickly. Oscar took another look around before turning back and walking down the hall toward the barracks where he, Gell, and Seph were staying. It wasn't long before Oscar felt another stare on his back. The hairs on his neck stood at attention. He quickly turned around, catching the foot of a person as they rounded the corner.

"Come back!" He called out, following them around the corner. When Oscar turned the corner, he saw nothing but an empty corridor. He sighed and continued on his way. It was the third time that Oscar felt the stare when he called out, "I know you're there!" turning around to see no sign of a person anywhere. When he turned back, he saw her, standing in front of him. She had dark hair, it was cut at her shoulders. She wore a hooded cloak that concealed most of her face until she took it down.

"Hello," she said.


End file.
